Heavily intoxicated driver tried to get rid of car keys

A Brechin drink-driver who saw the error of his ways too late has been banned from the road.

John Jamieson was seen stumbling to his car in the early hours after his mother’s birthday party, but after driving a short distance he realised he should not have been behind the wheel.

The 33-year-old put his vehicle keys through the letterbox of a taxi office, but not before he had been spotted by police.

“When officers breath-tested him he was found to be more than four times the legal limit.

Jamieson, of Hillview, Brechin, appeared at Forfar Sheriff Court where he admitted driving with excess alcohol – 92 microgrammes in 100ml of breath with the legal limit being 22mcg – on October 15.

Depute fiscal Bill Kermode said the incident happened at around 12.40am. “The accused was seen stumbling on the kerb and into the road before getting into his car,” he said. “He struggled to get it started, before mounting the kerb and managing to drive away.”

Jamieson’s registration number was passed to police and he was spotted shortly after.

Defence solicitor Nick Whelan said: “His recollection of events is not good.

“It was his mother’s birthday party so the car was parked at her address. He went out to the car to get his wallet, retrieved it, but couldn’t get back into the house and got in the car.

“His recollection is that he pulled into a taxi company car park and put his keys through their letterbox to stop himself from driving further.”

Sentence was deferred for a social work report and Jamieson was disqualified until then.